M25: Driver who fled collision sentenced

A driver who fled a collision and was identified through saliva left on an airbag has been sentenced thanks to the determination of Chigwell Roads Policing Unit and Road Policing Prosecution Team.

Shortly after midnight on Thursday 12 January last year, a grey BMW 520D travelling along the M25 collided with an Iveco Daily van as it drove towards the M11 at junction 27.

Despite the impact causing serious damage to both vehicles and forcing the van onto its side, the van driver, thankfully, sustained only minor injuries.

The car driver ran off.

Because the collision wasn’t reported, the registered owner was issued a notice of intended prosecution.

When asked to supply the name of the driver, he nominated an unknown person and claimed he had sold the car days earlier.

Undeterred, investigating officers identified Iram Boubekeur as the driver using saliva left on the deployed airbag from the steering wheel.

The case proceeded in Boubekeur’s absence at a court hearing in August 2023 where he was found guilty of failing to nominate the driver, failing to stop and report a collision, careless driving and leaving a car in a dangerous position.

A date was set for sentence at Colchester Magistrates’ Court for sentencing.

At the hearing on Thursday 22 February, Iram Boubekeur, 22, of Emlyn Road, Hammersmith and Fulham, London, was ordered to complete 300 hours community service, disqualified from driving for nine months and ordered to pay fines totalling £224 in regards to failing to stop and failing to report the collision within 24 hours.

For failing to nominate the correct driver, he was given six penalty points on his licence.

'Driver tried to avoid justice'

Officer in the case PC Joe Goodwin said:

“Iram Boubekeur went to great lengths to avoid being identified as the driver at the time of the collision, and even denied the offence right up to the last minute.
“He claims to have panicked and fled, but he was complicit in trying to avoid interactions with police. But given the forensic evidence, it was impossible for him to deny driving the car.”

No separate penalty was issued for careless driving and leaving his car in a dangerous position, but his licence was endorsed.

Help us reduce road collisions and casualties in Essex and make our roads even safer. Report instances of poor and dangerous driving through Safer Essex Roads Partnership's Extra Eyes initiative.

More than ever, irresponsible, dangerous and illegal road behaviour is being recorded by road users. Through Extra Eyes this footage can be sent to, and reviewed by, an investigator within Road Policing at Essex Police.

Find out how by visiting Safer Essex Roads Partnership website.

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